Conduit-rod.



UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICEQ v RICHARD H. VILLARD,

or NEW YORK, N. Y.

coNnUrr-non.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented in 1a, 1908. I

Application filed April 10, 1908. Serial No. 426,396.

the part of the operator. And a further object is to provide wheels for the coupling rods to make their travel through a conduit eas to arrange said Wheels symmetrically an at the same time occupy as little transverse space in the conduit, as possible.

To attain the first object mentioned, I make all coupling ends symmetrical on all rods. To attainthe second object, I rovide slabbed sides for the cou ling mem ers that the wheelsma set wit the recess formed, and take u 'ttle room.

The scope of my mvention will be set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a lan view of a Ipair of coupling rods in con ed position. ig. 2 is a s1de elevation of t e ends of a pair of rods in the act of being coupled together, drawn to an enlarged, scale. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the couplings.

In carrying out this invention, the coupling rods land 2 are generall com osed of modern shafts 3 and 4, the en s of w ich are secured in the-socket ends of couplings 7, 8,; 5 and 6, see Fig. 1. Each coupling is preferably a casting and is provided as shown in Fig. 3 with a recess 10 and a projecting lug 11, together constituting a locking means when similar recesses and lugs ona second cou ling are caused to engage therewith. Eac individual coupling is provided with an extending projection 13, having a surface 12 formed on the center line of the cou ling. Consequently when two couplings are p aced in the position of. Fig'. 2 the projections 11 on opposite couplings will enter the recess below thesurface 12, and the opposed surfaces 12 will come into close contact.

U on swinging the parts fr m the position of 2 to the position of Fig fi, the projecting ends 13 will pass into the recesses 10 an hold the coupling together so lon as the angle is not great enough .to al ow the disengagement of the projection 13 from the recess 10. The projection 13 is made somewhat thinner than half the diameter of the socketed end 6 of the coupling, which produces a slabbed surface to eac'h cou ling member, forming a recess in the side 0 the ioulpling; within the recess the wheel 9 may ocate'd. The wheel is freely pivoted to the slabbed surface of the projection. As a result of placin one wheel on each coupling, and forming the couplings slabbed as to their projections 13, I am enabled to get a air of wheels at the joint when two cou ings are connected, which will occupy t e minimum amount of transverse space in a conduit durin placing one w eel on each coupling, I am enabled to make each coupling absolutely symmetrical to' the others, so that a man operating in a man hole need never reverse a rod but will always find the right end ad-' vanced for coupling with the rod already installed. V

By making the narrow slabbed projections.

the use of myrod. By

13 in the shape described, I am enabled to produce lockingmeans, that is, the recess 10 and projection 13 carrying the lug 11, which may be-symmetrical on each coupling, also producing the advantage before described, 'b. e. making it immaterial which end of the rod is grasped by the o erator, and also mak ing it necessary to prodhce but one shape and form of casting for the manufacturer.

I claim as my invention:

1. Two conduit cou ling rods, each rod having at both its en s a coupling socket, each socket being symmetrical to the others, locking means on each socket adapted for engagement with locking -means on another socket, and a single wheel carried on each socket whereb apair of wheels will be roduced when a joimng sockets are secured gether.

2. A cou ling rod having a coupling socket at each en each coupling socket belng rovided with locking means, and a single w eel ca rried at each end of said rod, one on each Si ed at New York-city, this 9th day of socket; 1 d k h Apri 1908.

1 con ing r0 having assoc et at eac e d'comprising in part a projecting piece RICHARD V 5 having a slabbed outer side, and a wheel our- Witnesses:

naled in said side, and occupying a recess F. WARREN WRIGHT,

formed by the slabbed side. MABEL DITTENHOEFER. 

